Stress Reduction - Emotional Awareness - Conflict Resolution - Assertiveness - ​Identity Development

PLAAY combines basketball and culturally responsive strategies to teach children essential skills for managing stress in real-time and navigating conflict, including racially stressful situations, for safer, healthier outcomes both in the classroom and the community. For kids who aren't into basketball, we offer a variety of activities like other sports, board games, and video games to engage and empower them.
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We celebrate each young person's authentic self, honor their unique stories, and empower them through play.
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Practice stress reduction, conflict resolution, and assertiveness in real-life, high-pressure moments on the court.

Building Healthy Environments in Schools and Community Based Organizations One Relationship at a Time

  The Mission
To equip children and young people with the tools to effectively navigate racial stress and conflict, fostering resilience, emotional intelligence, and academic success through comprehensive support and mentorship.
   The Vision
To create a nationwide network of sustainable PLAAY programs, empowering youth to thrive and build resilient communities through social, emotional, and academic growth.

Why We Do It

While many children in New Orleans are thriving, many others face significant challenges, falling behind in school and becoming involved with the youth justice system. Harmful systems, bias, and false narratives contribute to these disparities, disproportionately affecting Black children. But we believe change is possible, and we are here to help.

The Benefits of PLAAY

Engage Children - Increase Academic Engagement
During a study at a behavior academy, participants in PLAAY demonstrated:
- An increase in student attendance from 62% to 69%
- A decrease in unexcused absences from 38% to 26
- A decrease in suspensions from 328 to 117  
(Family Resource Trend Report, 2000)
“Although there were other programs in the school, the principal and the district truancy statistician identified the PLAAY Project as one of the primary reasons for those improvements.” 
Source: Stevenson, Howard C. Playing with Anger: Teaching coping skills to African American boys through athletics and culture. Westport, CT., Greenwood Publishing, Praeger. 2002.
Empower Children - Reduce Physical Aggression
PLAAY empowers children to manage stress, discover agency and use their voice instead of physical aggression to solve problems.
- 79% of PLAAY participants reported that PLAAY “definitely” helped them learn to reduce their stress. 17% reported “somewhat”
- 62% of PLAAY participants reported that PLAAY “definitely” helped them make better decisions for themselves when they feel stressed out or frustrated. 34% reported “somewhat”  
(Center for Resilience, 2021 -2023)

Voices Tell the Story

“PLAAY helped me control my anger and reply to teacher responses."
      - Student Participant

“PLAAY helped save my son as he was trying to find a way to cope with the traumatic experience he encountered, and it
provided an outlet for him to be heard and understood without judgment ...”
       - Participant Mother
"PLAAY has had such a great impact on my students. Not only has this made my students realize things within themselves,
but they are now better able to read other people’s emotions and the best part is seeing them...help one another process
their feelings and emotions.”
     - Ms. Harris, Classroom Counselor and PLAAY Facilitator, The Bridge EQA Middle School, New Orleans, LA​
"You can learn more about a child in an hour of play than you can in one year of conversation."
​                                                                                                                                         - Plato...maybe

Let's Talk PLAAY

Schedule a meeting with our team today to explore how PLAAY can support the children and young people at your organization, helping them thrive and reach their full potential.
Uptown
New Orleans, LA

504-383-4748
[email protected]
[email protected]
PLAAY South New Orleans is sponsored by the Sims-Fayola Foundation, a registered 501(c)(3) organization, EIN 47-5349323.